Polls show Latino voters in play as Rubio stays on the sidelines

Polls show Republicans struggling this midterm cycle to hold onto President Donald Trump’s historic gains with Latino voters, yet the party’s most prominent Hispanic surrogate is sitting on the sidelines.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a close Trump ally and potential 2028 presidential contender, has largely avoided campaigning for GOP candidates in 2026 and is not expected to appear at this week’s Republican National Committee midterm convention. Rubio’s absence stands out as Republicans confront signs that the coalition Trump assembled in 2024 may be fraying, particularly among Latino voters who helped power his return to the White House.